Locomotive-arch construction.



' E. P. STEVENS. 4 LOGOMOTIVE ARGH CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1911.

1.,U9Q91 Patented Mar. 24, 1914 2 Sums-$ 251: 1.

MN. KN m K E. P. STEVENS.

LOOOMOTIVE ARCH. CONSTRUCTION. APRLIOA'ITION FILED AUG. 23, 1911.

Patented Mar. 24, 191% 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

locomotive is .in operation.

H a i i F. i

ENOCH P. STEVENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 LOCOMOTIVE ARCH BRICK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOCOMOTIVE-ARCH CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnt-ggi Ega 24 19141 Application filed August 23, 1911'. Serial N 0. 645,643.

' To all whom it ma ("mar-em:

Be it known that I, Eixocii P. STEVENS, a cltizen of the United States, residing at Chi- .cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have nivented certain new and use-- ful Improvements in Locomotive-Arch C011- structions, of which the following is a speci fication.

My invention relates to arch constructions, and refers particularly to arches used in locomotive fire boxes.

In practically all locomotives it is customary -to employ a series of arch tubes. which extend downwardly 1 from the rear water leg of the boiler to the front water leg. These arch tubes act as supports for the fire brick, which compose an arch extending longitudinally of and across the fire box so that the latter is divided into upper and lower portions. By means of this arch the products of combustion are deflected to take a longer course, and thereby act more efliciently in heating the water contained in thatportion of the boiler above the fire box, while at the same'time the gases reach the boiler tubes at a somewhat lower tempera ture and thereby prolong the life of the latter. a

It is desirable to construct the arch in such manner that when any of the bricks composing the sameare burned out they may be readily lelilOYBd without disturbing the other bricks of the arch, while at the same time these bricks should be securely locked in position so that there may be no danger that they will become displaced While the I accomplish this result by employing two series ,of bricks, the bricks of one series being adapted to be applied directly to the arch tubes withoutlongitudinal sliding thereon, each of such bricks resting on but a single tube, and the bricks. of the second series engaging the bricks of the first series and locking the. latter in. position on the tubes. The two series of bricks form the. arch, and together prevent the passage of gases through said arch. I preferably employ a plurality of rows of bricks, each brick having arecess on its lower portion whichiis adapted to engage an arch tube. On their upper surfaces the bricks are suitably recessed so that a locking brick may be inserted between adjacent bricks, thereby preventing the latter from of this construction, when one or more bricks have been burned. out and the locomotive is shutdown for repairs, it is only necessary to remove the locking bricks on the two sides of any bricks which is to be removed, and the' l atter may then be easily taken out of position. i

These and other advantages of my invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments of my imprOvcments, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the fire boxof a locomotive, showing the front arch in position; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section'taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged trans-- verse SQCLlCll through a-port'ion of the front arch, showing the manner in which the bricks are held in position on the arch tubes; Fig. at is a section similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of construction; Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to that shown in Fig. :2, but disclosing a modified form of arch construction; Fig. (3 is a perspective of one of the variation blocks used in the-arch construction shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective of one of the side sheet blocks used in the construction shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a perspective of one of the filler blocks used in the construction shown in Fig. 5.

The arch tubes l0extend upwardly from the front water leg 11 to the rear water leg 12, dividing the tire box 13 into an upper portion 1% and a lower portion 15. The boiler tubes 16 extend forwardly from the flue sheet 17 in a well known manner.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, :1 row of fire bricks 18 is supported on each of the arch tubes 10, each of these bricks having a recess 19 in its lower surface for the reception of an arch tube 10, as-clearly shown in Figs. and 3. The upper surface of each brick 11.8 is also formed with the two lateral recesses '20 and 21. After the fire bricks have been placed. in po sition on the arch tu'l'les 10, locking bricks may be inserted in the recesses 20 and 21 of adjacent bricks, whereby these brick are prevented from rotating. The edges of the rows of bricks on the two sides of the arch abut directly against the side sheets and I have found that it is generally unnecessary to employ a locking brick between the two outer rows of bricks and said side sheets.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a somewhat modified form of construction. The bricks 18 are provided with the recesses 19 engaging the arch tubes 10. Each brick has a curved side 24 and a top portion 25. The locking bricks 22 are suitably shaped to conform to the shape of the bricks 18 and are slipped in position after the bricks 18 on the arch tubes 10. a

' It will be apparent that whenit is desired are placed to remove any particular brick in the arch of my construction the locking bricks, 22engagingv the two recesses .20 and 21 of the bricks 'blocks 26 are supported against! the arch tubes 10 by means of the semi-circular grooves 27. Each of the filler blocks '26 is tilted upwardly, and between the filler block edges, which lie intermediate'of the arch tubes, are placed the variation blocks 28, each block having an over-hanging edge 29 to prevent it from slipping sate for any variation of distance between the arch tubes 10, the variation blocks 28 are made of varying widths so that the filler blocks 26 are maintained in proper alinement. In the case of the arch tubes 10, which are immediately adjacent to the sheets 23, the side sheet blocks 30 are used. Each block, as clearly shown in Fig; 7 has a semi-circular groove 31 and an extension 32 which extends substantially to the side sheet 23;

It will be evident that in the modified form of construction just'described'the arch tubes 10 areefiiciently protected from the action of the flame, and blistering is thereby prevented. hen it is desired to remove one or more of the filler blocks 26 or sidesheet blocks 30, the corresponding variation block 28 is first withdrawin and the filler plurality of rows of row, and in order to as clearly shown in Fig. 5,-

downwardly. In order to compenside I block or sidesheet block, as the case may be, may then be readily withdrawn from its engagement with the arch tube.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatmany changes could be made in the detailedconstruction of the improved forms of locomotive arches which I ha e described,

without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. I

What'I claim is:

v 1. In a locomotive having a fire box there I in, the combination of a plurality of arch tubes extending through said fire box, aplurality of rows of bricks supported on said arch tubes, each of said rows/being supported on a corresponding arch tube, said bricks having recesses in their lower surfaces for the reception of said arch tubes, and a locking bricksengagbricks and filling the substantially as" deing adjacent rows of space therebetween, scribed.

2. In a locomotive having a fire box therein, the combination of a plurality of arch tubes extending through said fire box, a

.plurality of rows of bricks supported on each of said rows being'supsaid arch tubes, ported on a corresponding arch tube, said bricks having recesses in their; lower surfaces and lateral recesses on their upper-surfaces, and locking bricks engaging said upper recesses and filling the space between said bricks, whereby the latter are prevented from rotating on said arch tubes, substantially as described. p

8. In a locomotive furnace, the combination of a plurality of inclined water tubes, and an arch supported by said tubes, said arch including two series of'brick, the brick of one series being supported by said tubes,

each brick by a single tube and the brick of the other series being adapted to lock the brick of the'first series against rotation upon their respective supporting tubes, each of the brick oiithe first series being adapted as a whole to be applied to or removed from its respective supporting tube by lateral motion thereof to said tube, and the buck of the two series being arranged to. practically exclude the passage of gases therebetween, substantially as described. v i

ENOCI-I P. STEVENS. Witnesses: 7

HENRY M. 'HUXLEY, L. E. HANNEN. 

